《Fan'hel》


 The Chains of Freedom

    Leon is a dark-elven, soldier and current champion of the Arena. He stands a solid 6''2" tall(1.8796 meters) He has light grey-ashen like skin. His hair a snow-white in color, but extends to his upper back, is a key feature of his race. His eyes glow as white as his hair, a trait only shared by the pure-blood Thalosian. As an elf he is considered to be handsome. He is a favorite of the noble ladies that watch the Arena.


    With his eyes shut, Leon stands in the middle of a platform that is slowly rising. Focusing on his surroundings he hears the drums of thousands of feet, the cheers of the crowd, the breathes of the guards around him, the clanking of the chains that pull the platform ever higher. Soon the platform comes to an abrupt stop and the sounds become ever louder. Taking in a deep breath he opens his eyes.


    The platform is dark the little light that makes it through the cracks from the wood, shine like a spotlight. The markings on his skin begin to pulsate and hum. Slowly the cheers of the crowd die down to murmurs and a powerful voice is heard.


    "My people today is a joyous day for not only is it the day of the birth of your Emperor-" Leon scoffs and a guard hits him in the back of the head. He stares daggers at the guard.


    "Not worth it." Leon turns back to the gate and listens.


    "-shall fight one last time and either die or earn his freedom!" A loud applause is heard from the crowd. "I give you "The Sage" the crowd is immiediatley up in cheers as the gate at the other end of the Arena opens up and a cloaked man walks into the light, smiling and waving.


    The Sage is a native of the continent that the Emperor has claimed. The Emperor captures the powerful mages of his race and uses them as his personal healers and as powerful opponents in the Arena. The Sage is a "Lathorian" or Elf of Lathos - a high elven. He wears brown leather armor with steel wrist-guards and brandishes a large oaken-staff with a shining blue crystal atop it. His signature blue cloak is one that has been on him since day one of his arena campaign. Being High-Elven he is quite the handsome fellow and has specifically gained the attentions of the women of the Arena.


    Smiling and waving to the crowd he awaits his competitor. Hearing whom his competition is Leon begins to laugh.


    "Surely they jest? A Lathorian versus a Thalosian?" Smiling to himself he pulls his gigantic black-steel scimitar from his back and readies himself. The booming voice speaks once again.


    "Now, his competition and his ticket to freedom our Sage must fight the Champion!" The crowd roars with delight. "The Kin-Slayer, the Deathbringer, the Shadow of War none of these titles mean nothing compared to YOUR CHAMPION!" The speaker points to the arena gate and it slowly swings open.


    Leon with a gigantic smile upon his face, throws his sword over his shoulder and walks out. The crowd blows up into roars of excitement. Leon walks to the center and faces his opponent. The Sage looks at Leon and laughs.


    "An Ashen one facing a child of Lathos? You should stick to the shadows of your betters, Thalosian!" Leon smerks and begins laughing a deep, demanding laugh that sends shivers down some on-lookers spines.


    "Thana''dos veil sharime, Lathosian." The Sage scoffs at his remark and spits in his direction.


    "Don''t you dare spout your mongrol language at me!" Leon smiles. And the Speaker appears on a flying disk between the two.


    "Alright, ladies and gentlemen who shall win? The challenger?" He gestures to The Sage and the crowd cheers wildly. "Or your Champion?" He switches arms and gestures toward Leon and the crowd begins to applaud and roar. "Well gentlemen on my signal you may begi-"


    At that second Leon''s markings glew brighter and he launched himself at the speaker, severing his head from his body and both the flying disk and the limp corpse drop to the ground. The crowd screams with delight. Seeing the display before him, The Sage quickly throws up a mana-barrier and readies his staff.


    Standing from the dirt, Leon glares at The Sage and tosses his sword over his shoulder once again. "That was a taste of what won''t happen to you. I plan to make you suffer." The Sage''s eyes widen with fear and he gulps. Snapping from his fear he glares at Leon and bears his teeth.


    "Come and get me ashen scum!"


    The Sages hands and staff begin to glow orange in color as fireball after fireball shoots out from his staff toward Leon. With a smile on his face Leon dodges each one while slowly, but steadily getting closer to The Sage. Seeing this The Sage switches tactics and quickly flys about twenty feet into the air and begins chanting a spell. Stopping in his tracks, Leon looks up and smiles.


    "Only a coward runs from a fight!" Looking toward the center of the arena he sees a pillar and runs at it. Making contact with the pillar he begins running up it and jumps at The Sage. In that moment The Sage opens his eyes finishing his spell and sends a powerful green lightning bolt at Leon. The impact stops him dead in the air and crashes him straight into the ground. The crowd cheers madly. Smiling he flys down to ground level and looks in the direction of Leon.


    "Fool! That tactic would never have worked! Your sword would never have made it through my barrier!" He begins laughing wickedly. After a few seconds he tries to fly toward the body to finish Leon off, but is stopped. Confused he looks toward his ankle and sees a hand grasping it firmly from the ground.


    "HOW DID YOU GET THERE?" The hand glows and takes on a ghostly form and soon The Sage and his foot become parted. The pain from that causes The Sage to drop his barrier and falls to the ground, grasping at his ankle while screaming. His staff drops a few feet from his position. Slowly rising from the ground, a dirt/sand covered Leon emerges. Standing tall and smiling he looks at the foot and tosses it.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "I told you running was for cowards." Slowly he begins walking toward the frantic mage. The Sage now overcome with fear and despair starts trying to frantically crawl toward his staff. In a blur, Leon reaches the staff at the same time, but puts his foot on it. The Sage looks up at him with gigantic fear-filled eyes. Seeing only the grinning smile and the empty, darkened eyes of Leon.


    "P-Please, d-d-don''t! I-i don''t w-want to die!" Still smiling, Leon puts pressure on the staff and it snaps. He takes his other foot and kicks The Sage hard in the face, sending him flying. He crashes into the ground and blood pools from his mouth. In another blur, Leon appears right next to him and slams his sword straight through his stomach and into the ground. The Sage''s eyes bulge with fear and he begins gasping, while desperatly clutching at the sword thats impaling him.


    "I was suppose to win and be free! ME!" Tears form in his eyes and his head slams into the ground. Looking up all he sees is Leon frowning.


    "You were never going to be free. Even if you beat me, he would have made you take my spot and the cycle would continue." The Sage gives up his futile attempts at living and lays there, defeated.


    "Thana''dos veil sharime, Lathosian." Leon bows to the dieing Sage. The Sage gurgles a few breathes and then soon all signs of life fade. The crowd explodes into a sea of screams and cheering. Leon walks over to his sword, grabs it by the hilt and steps on the lifeless body of "The Sage" and with a little force, yanks it free. Sheathing it on his back he walks to the center of the arena and faces the Emperor. The Emperor stands and raises a hand, calming the wild crowd instantly.


    "Well done, my champion. Well done indeed. This is your 50th win in my arena i shall grant you a single wish, name it and it should be yours." Leon smiles and pulls his sword from his sheethe and points it at the Emperor.


    "I WANT YOUR HEAD SERVED ON A PLATTER!" The Emperor begins laughing and gestures for some guards.


    "Take him away, he shall suffer for the insulting my gift." In that moment Leon prepares his sword as guards begin to pour out from the stadium and into the arena.


    "Sending dogs to the slaughter!" Leon charges the guards and begins mercilessly killing them. Seeing this the Emperor slams his fist and points at Leon.


    "Kill him! He has defied me for the last time! The one whom brings me his head shall earn a reward!" Hearing this the crowd look into the arena and many jump in, in the hopes of a reward. Smiling once again, Leon steadies himself and charges the oncoming stampede of soldiers and people.


    Just as he is about to collide with the masses a lighting bolt shoots from the sky and hits right at his feet, sending the masses and him backwards. A large glowing portal sits in the arena''s center and a voice calls out.


    "Your Freedom awaits, quickly you must enter!" Leon looks to the portal and sheethes his sword. The Emperor stands and points toward the portal.


    "KILL HIM BEFORE HE ENTERS!"


    Seeing only one way out of his predicament, Leon sprints for the portal and enters it. As soon as he does the portal slams shut and sends out a large sonic boom. In the portal Leon floats through an endless white space.


    "Where the hell am i?" He says both confused and angry. In that moment a loud, demanding voice speaks to him.


    "I saved you from a life of slavery and death. You are in the "in-between" of realms." Leon raises an eyebrow to this.


    "And why am i here?" The voice continues.


    "I saved you, so you could help me." Leon scoffs at that.


    "Why would I help YOU?" He crosses his arms and stares into the white abyss.


    "Because i saved you and you have no choice in the matter." Leon clenches his teeth.


    "So i am to trade one slavery for another?" The voices pauses.


    "No. I am asking this of you and should you agree you will be sent to a new world, a new land that needs someone like you. Should you disagree i am more then happy to put you back in that arena." Leon grinds his teeth and stares angrily.


    "Tch. So i either help you or i go back and die?"


    "Yes." Leon closes his eyes and ponders things for a moment. After a few minutes he opens his eyes again.


    "Alright, before i do this, i have questions." The voices mumbles something then a figure appears before Leon. It''s a white-faceless individual, with a sharp toothed mouth wickedly grinning at Leon. Wearing a thin-striped suit, the figure stands 8 feet tall and looks to be nothing more then a lanky skeleton.


    "Ask away, mortal." Leon with confusion plastering his face, shakes his head snapping him of his delerium.


    "What the fuck are you?" The figure sighs.


    "I am what is known as "God" or "The Hollow" i am a powerful being capable of creation and destruction on a level your brain couldn''t even begin to comprehend." Leon raises another eyebrow to this and crosses his arms.


    "Then why the hell do you need MY help if YOU''RE so powerful?" The Hollow sighs again, rubbing where his eyes would be.


    "I''m helping my people in a universe that is not my own."


    "And who are "Your People" ?" The Hollow looks up at the floating Leon and slowly plants him on the ground facing him.


    "Humans." Leon spits on the ground.


    "Humans? La''valan vol estre''ge tol''dorum! The scum of a world!" The Hollow puts his lanky arms behind his back and looks up into the abyss.


    "At the time i made them in my likeness." Leon gestures to all of him and stares at him with bewilderment.


    "Your likeness?" The Hollow laughs.


    "I have many forms, so many that at the time of their creation i had my orginal form. Both creating a universe and the ravages of time had caused me to forget what it looks like. This is as close as i got." Leon holds his stomach and laughs at that.


    "That''s pretty far off from a human." The Hollow rolls his non-existant eyes.


    "Anyways, in the universe you are going there is a planet, Erelas. The races on this world are struggling and the humans have used a ritual to summon a hero. As their creator i am forced to intervene. I have no one to offer, so i chose you."


    Leon sits on the "ground" and looks up at The Hollow. "And the only reason im helping is because you''ve threatened me into it. And another question for you." Leon gestures to himself. "If you haven''t noticed i''m a dark-elf and you''re sending me to help HUMANS, why not get a HUMAN champion?"


    The Hollow laughs. "My universe is one governed by the laws of science and physics, not the laws of magick." Leon raises an eyebrow, yet again, to this.


    "So, why not create an ALL MIGHTY champion that can render mountains, tear the sky and save your humans?" Leon says the last part with disgust in his voice. The Hollow sighs.


    "Because, it takes a tremendous amount of power to do that and im still recovering. Besides i saved you from a life of slavery, did i not?" Leon nods to this and then slowly stands up.


    "That you did. You''re also threatening me with that same life, if i might add." The Hollow smiles a malicious smile that sends shivers down Leon''s back, causing Leon to jump back and grabs his sword.


    "I am both benevolent and malicious, giving and taking. I took you from your world and in doing that, i am giving another a chance to live on. I could just as well end you right here, right now little elf. It will take me no time to find another MORE gracious replacement." Leon gulps as beads of sweat drip from his forhead. Slowly he takes his hands off his sword and bows to The Hollow.


    "I accept your offer." The Hollow bows in-turn and in a moment he snaps his fingers and Leon appears in a room made of cobblestone in the center of a magic circle that has 10 mages surrounding him. Feeling as if a horse kicked him, Leon falls to the ground and blacks out.

 A New Life

    In the capital city of Vanan in the kingdom of Vanaheim


    <hr>


    King Gahren Rathos an elderly King in his 80''s sits in a chair in the infirmary across the room from the unconcious body of the hero. There he drinks tea with the High-Elven King, An''thos Kahl''dorei. Meanwhile, The Demon King and severeal demon/elven mages have erected a magic barrier around the bed that Leon lay in and are performing medical magic to better understand Leon. An''thos leans closer to the King and holds his hand infront of his face as to whisper something.


    "They''ve been at this for hours. She must take a break or she''ll end up in his same position." A small fireball whizzes by his head and collides with the cobblestone wall, disapating. An''thos looks toward The Demon King and gives her a embarrassed smile.


    "I can hear you just fine An''thos! There is no need to worry over me. I''m not the King of Demons, because i look the part ya know?" An''thos rubs the back of his head and sips from his tea. Gahren stands from his chair and walks next to The Demon King.


    "What have you learned, Evelyn?" Evelyn looks up at Gahren and smiles. She holds up her wrist and a magical display appears showing Leon''s vitals and other important details.


    "It''s fascinating! Those markings are something i''ve never seen before. They act like a sort of sponge absorbing any mana we try cast on him and dispersing it." Gahren looks at her with a raised eyebrow.


    "And what does that mean?" Evelyn grasps the bridge of her nose and lets out a deep breath.


    "No clue. Theres no indication of what those markings could even be! Let alone what they can do. It''s one of the MANY things i plan to ask him, when he wakes up." She smiles and turns back to Leon. "Something is...strange about him." Gahren looks up to her with a look of puzzlement.


    "How do you mean?" She puts her hand on her chin and stares intensily at Leon.


    "Well for starters, all that blood on him was none of his own. We found traces of human, elven, orc, dwarf even therian!" Gahren looks at Leon and smiles.


    "So, wherever he''s from they have the same races as us? Should be easy for him to aclimate to his surroundings if things are familiar." Evelyn shakes her head.


    "Yes and no. Observe him real quick and tell me what you see." Gahren walks close to the mana-barrier and begins studying Leon''s body.


    "Well, he looks to be of elven descent, but that skin is too dark to be High-Elf or Wood-Elf." Evelyn nods.


    "Exactly! If his race is new to us, then what races are new to him? For instance i never mentioned demon''s among that list of samples. It could just be that none were fighting him or it could be that they never existed on his world. How''s he going to react to seeing me or my demons?" Gahren nods and turns to An''thos.


    "Your people ever run into any of his kind before?" An''thos stands and walks to Gahren placing his arm on his shoulder.


    "There was a small sect of our people many thousands of years ago that forsook our God of Light and took up a new god. We called them the "Shan''dorei" or "Dark-Elf". But, as far as my knowledge goes they became extinct around the time the Demon''s came to be." Evelyn lets out a sigh.


    "60 years and i''m still working on diplomacy. Can''t i just-" Before she''s able to finish, Leon''s markings begin glowing a bright white that is seemingly becoming brighter and brighter. In seconds the whole room is shielding their eyes trying to avoid the blinding light. Guards instantly put themselves between the 3 nobles and the magic barrier. A few seconds later and the light has died down, but when the people turn back to the mana-barrier they see Leon standing there staring at them angrily. Immediately Evelyn walks close to the barrier and begins trying to talk to him.


    Upon seeing Evelyn, Leon walks to the edge of the mana-barrier and stares at her intensley.


    "Black Horns, red skin, hooves? What the hell is this-this creature?" Examing her more thouroughly he comes to the conclusion that she is infact a SHE. This sudden realization causes him to jump back. Once again he looks at her and sees her mouth moving, but the words coming out he does not understand.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "**** ** * ****** *** ******* **** *** ****** ** **** ?"


    "That last one sounded like a question." Leon begins thinking and examines the rest of the room. "6 humans, 6 of those red-skinned goats and...." Upon seeing An''thos Leon''s markings glow and his face turns into one of pure rage. He begins rapidly punching the mana-barrier causing it to flicker. This sudden change causes all to back away from the barrier and stare at An''thos.


    "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?" Evelyn grabs An''thos by the collar and lifts him in the air. Fearful, An''thos looks down at her and shrugs.


    "I''ve no clue! Maybe he doesn''t-" An''thos suddenly looks to Leon who seems to be speaking a language he hasn''t heard in many years.


    "SHA''LAS VOS DEOS, VEIL SHARIME, LATHOSIAN!" Leon''s anger begins boiling. An''thos pushes himself off Evelyn and runs to the barrier stopping a foot short of the edge.


    "Tul''an vos tal''kor, thana''dos sharime!" Upon hearing his language spoken to him, Leon stops hitting the barrier mid-punch and gives An''thos an extremely puzzled look. An''thos continues.


    "Tahl vos Lathosian, An''thos Kahl''dorei." Leon smerks and points to himself. "Tahl vos Thalosian, Leon Ther''os Thal''al." Evelyn jumps next to An''thos and whispers to him.


    "An''thos! You didn''t tell me you could speak with him!" An''thos brushes her off. "SHH, this language requires infusing mana into each word and requires SEVERE concentration." Evelyn steps back. Leon crosses his arms and gestures to the barrier.


    "Ant''am lumia dal''ton?" Evelyn not able to keep in her excitement shakes An''thos. "C''MON, TELL ME!" An''those holds up a finger to Leon and Leon nods. An''those then turns to Evelyn.


    "Alright so, i heard him screaming about wanting a duel by my honor as a Lathosian." Evelyn gives him a confused look.


    "Lathosian?" An''those nods.


    "It''s a VERY ancient and respectful term refering to elven kind. Lathosian means "High-Elvari" or "High-Elf". Likewise "Thalosian ,as he refered to himself, means "Dark-Elvari" or "Dark-Elf". Evelyn nods.


    "Whats Wood-Elf?" An''thos smiles.


    "Valthosian or "Old-Elf". Refering to how they live in old places like forests." Evelyn nods again and begins jotting down notes, frantically.


    "What did you say to eachother after that?"


    "I greeted him and told him my name and he told me his." Evelyn stares at him wide-eyed and Gahren steps forward.


    "What''s his name?"


    "Leon Ther''os Thal''al or "Leon of the Dark Woods" i''m guessing the "Dark Woods" would be where he was born." Annoyed by the people talking, Leon slams on the barrier and stares at An''thos.


    "Ant''am lumia dal''ton?" An''thos nods and turns to Evelyn.


    "Could you lower the barrier?" Evelyn nods and turns to each mage giving them a nod. Within a few seconds the barrier disipates into a few green lights and Leon bows to An''thos. Gahren walks over to Leon and holds out his hand. Seeing it Leon stares at him then back to An''thos.


    "Tol''doreem vos La''valan?" An''thos rubs his eyes and nods to Leon. Leon bows to Gahren''s who in turn bow''s back and Evelyn taps on An''thos''s shoulder.


    "What''d he say?" An''thos looks down and let''s out a deep-breath.


    "He called the King a "scum" and asked if the king was honoring him." Evelyn''s mouth drops open.


    "And you nodded to that? He just called the King a scum, WHAT THE HELL AN''THOS!?" An''thos shrugs.


    "Elven, especially those that adhere to tradition refer to a race as a whole. He wasn''t just refering to the King as scum he was -" Evelyn''s eyes widen and she stares at Leon.


    "Refering to all human''s as scum." An''thos nods.


    "Yes, so wherever he''s from, his people don''t like humans and apparently High-elves." Leon backs away from the King and walks toward Evelyn. He gestures to her and looks at An''thos.


    "Tune vos tol''doros, Thohdine?" An''thos looks at Evelyn then back to Leon and shrugs. Evelyn elbows him.


    "What did he say? Man this is getting annoying...Is there a way to make this easier?" An''thos rubs his arm.


    "He asked if the "tune" or "woman" was of the Thohdine. And yes give me a moment." An''thos walks over to Leon and holds his hand out to him with his palm facing up. After a few seconds a white glowing orb appears. Leon turns to him, grabs the orb and crushes it, absorbing it. Leon''s marking glow for a quick second and he closes his eyes, trying to focus on his hearing.


    "What does Thohdine mean?" An''thos turns to tell her, but Leon interrupts. "It mean''s goat." Everyone in the room, but An''thos looks at him awestruck, An''thos just smiles and rubs his head. Evelyn hits him in the shoulder, yet again.


    "What did you do!?" Leon bows to Evelyn.


    "He gave me the knowledge required to understand the language''s of this world. Well, the languages he knows." Evelyn let''s out a sigh.


    "I forgot you Elves have some unique traits when it comes to others of your kind." Leon folds his arms and looks around the room at the other Thohdines then back to Evelyn.


    "So, Thohdine you are the leader of the other Thohdine''s, no?" Evelyn looks at Leon and sighs.


    "Demon''s not goats. And yes I am The Demon King." Leon looks at her wierd, then stares at her chest as if trying to discern something.


    "Clearly you are female, no?" Evelyn snaps her fingers bringing his attentions toward her face. Leon looks at her with a smirk.


    "Yes, clearly." She roles her eyes. "Demon King is a title that has been held by my family for thousands of years. Throwing a Queen in there would just lose me face for changing an old title. My people are old and they don''t change easily." Leon nods to that.


    "As were mine." An''thos interupts their conversation with a voice of confusion.


    "Were?" Leon nods.


    "I am the last of my kind. Have been for a hundred years." The room grows quiet, until Evelyn speaks up.


    "What happend to the others?"